Method of assembling well structures.



Pand May 26,1914,

F. I. GBTTY.

METHOD OF ASSEMBLING WELL STRUCTURES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. Z1, 1913.

F. I. GBTTY.

METHOD 0E ASSEMELING WELL STRUCTURES.

APPLICATION FILED AG.21,1913. l

Patented May 26, 1914.

2 EEEETs-SEEET 2 FRED I. GETTY, or annuities, LOUISIANA.

METHOD F ASSEMBLING- WELL STRUCTURES.

Specication of Letters Iatent.

Application filed August 21, 1913.

Patented May 26, 1914. serial No. 785,967.

To all whom t .may concern Be it known that I, FRED I. GEITY, a eitl- .zenof the United States, residing at Jennings, in the parish of Jefferson Davis and State of Louisiana, have invented certain @new and useful Improvements` in Methods ,of Assembling Tell Structures, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a method of assembling well structures and more particularly such structures which include a cylindrical steel pit. In the installation of the above class of Awells it has usually been the custom to in- 15.

stall the wellv casing with the strainer in the hole, the casing extending up to the surface of the earth. This h-aving been done, the pit hole is bored around the upper portion of the casing tothe proper depth, and after the `is no provision for joining the well casing and the steel pit together. The well casing frequently settles down inthe ground and separates entirely from the pit, so as to seriously impair, and sometimes ruin the well.

By my invention, I provide a method of'.

assembling the structure, wherebylthe hole for the well casing and strainer is first drilled y down to the proper depth, then this bore is enlarged from the ground surface down to the proper depth to` receive the steel pit, after which the casing, strainer and steel pit -are installed and joined together so as to 40,.,form a continuous tube from the bottom of' the well up to the surface of the ground.

In the installation of the above parts, the strainer together with the well casing is put together, section by section and.v lowered .45 d

reached. -Then thewell casing is separated own into the well until the bottom is down at a point where the pitbase isto be screwed on, and the casing abovethe'polnt of separation is brought up out vofthe well. The next step being to build up the steel pit iby joiningk together the sections 4and letting thepindown .into the pa h oie, andnnauy joining the base ofthe pit to the wellv casing.

Vinstallation are more Aportion i's enlarged as at fitted on the threads The various details involved in the above particularly described and illustrated in the following specification andaccompanying drawing By following out this method, the casing and pit can be assembled in absolute alinement, and a watertightjoint obtained in a nomical manner.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying dra-wings, in which- Figure l is a View partially in sect-ion and elevation of the casing in the earth, the bore being shown for the pit. Fig. 2 is a similar view, the casing being shown separated, the upper portion having been removed from the hole, and the pit assembled and supported over the remaining portion of the casing. Fig. 3 .is a similar view, but showing the casing seetionsconne'cted and the pit supported by hoisting mechanism preparatory to being lowered and secured to the casing. Fig 4 is a similar view but showing the pit and casing coupled together. Fig. 5 represents views of a joint of pipe, used to secure an alinement of the steel pit with the well casing before screwing them together..

Thenumeral 1,- i'ndicates a bore in the earth to receive the casing and strainer, indicated at 2. The bore is first-made of uniform diameter from the upper level of the earth to the bottom of the casing and when drilled to theproper depth, the upper 3 to receive the pit 4. The joints 6 of the easing are all tightly secured and locked, exceptthe one indicated at. 6a. The collar -7 of this joint is vloosely 8 of the adjacent section so as to permit of ready and .convenient breaking of the joint, as will nowV be described.

After the casing and strainerhave been set in the hole, the collar 7 and the upper portion of the casing vis removed as shown in Fig. 2,.. thus leaving exposed the threads 8. The sections forming the pit are now .assembled and the pit is lowered` into the'bore and held supported in such position that its bottom will be slightly above the threads 8. The pit is provided near its upper end with Aclamps 9 which rest on the top of theearth tor serve as a means for holding said pit for the next4 step in the method of assembling. ..Wl1 ile..the pit is so `suspended in lthe bore a quick and eco-l slidable section of pipe is passed through the threaded opening 11, in the bottom of the pit, and into theopen threaded end of the lower 'portion of the casing.

The section of pipe 10 is provided with a series of spacing ribs 12 near the bottom, and anotherl series of spacing ribs 13 near the top. The ribs 13 are formed with out.

y `wardly projecting lugs or flanges 14:, which rest on the wall 15, surrounding theopening 11 in the vbottom of the pit, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. AThe upper end of the pipe section 10 is threaded at 15a, and to these threads is secured a coupling 16. The section of' pipe 10 passes freely through the opening 11 in the pit while the ribs 12 tit loosely in the casing, but the pipe section serves as a means for alining the steel pit with the well casing below, as. will be understood. The water head 20 is now bolted to the upper end of the pit. This head comprises a flange 21 through which bolts pass, and a dome 22, into which the upper end of the casing may fit. To the upper end of the dome is secured a bushing 23, and a swivel, and a supply pipe 24e is employed to flush the pit and wash the threads 8 of the casing .just before making the final step in assembling the parts. Theswivel is supported by a link 26-having oppositely extended ends 27 which engage over a spring 29, supported at its lower end on a hanger 30, suspended from a hook 31 of a traveling block of a well rig (not shown). It is to be noted at this point that when the pit is suspended by the hoisting apparatus of the well rig, the clamps 9 are removed, care being taken to see to it that the spring is tensioned so as to hold the bottom of the pit away from the threads 8. Theoperator now voperates the hoisting apparatus to gradually lower the pit unt-ilthe threads on the latter meet the threads` 8 and the pit is carefully screwed onto the casing. The spring ,eEectually prevents the threads jamming, as the mere contact of the threads will be indicated by the expansion of the coils and thereby permits the operator to allow a slight contact with little weight on the threads.

assembling the structure, as herein described, the pit and casing may be alined and assembled accurately and quickly and with little or no liability of injury to the parts. In the assembling, a positive and water tight joint is secured betwe/enthe pit and the casing so that liability of separation of these twoelements is obviated.

In practical use, the casing is lowered, in the bore, then the casing vis separated, and the upper portion is removed from the hole,

l and the pit -is then lowered and held suspended by clamps. The section of ribbed pipe is inserted and an alinement of pitand casing secured. Next the hoisting'appa- Obviously by carrying out the method of and the clamps are removed. ,'I e pit is now gradually lowered ands'crewed to the r well casing below, the ribbedv pipe insuring perfect alinement so that the threads, however ine, will engage perfectly. When the pit and casing have been firmly secured together, the rig and water head, as well as the pipe j10 used for alinement are removed and the pit is ready to receive the pump, etc.

I have not illustrated aL complete pump in det-ail, for my invention relates primarily to the pit` and casing and the method of assembling th'e same, and it is thought further description and illustration are unnecessary.

In some cases I may form the joint at the preliminarily supporting a pit over the lower portion of the casing, alinin'g the pit with the casing, andthen lowering the pit on the casing, and subsequently fastening the pit to the casing.

bling well structures, consisting in setting a strainer and casing formed in sections, removing the upper sections of the casing and inserting a pit and then alining" the pit with the lower-casing sections, and yieldingly supporting the pit, and then lowering the pit while yieldingly supported and then joining the pit to the lower section of the casing.

3.' The herein described method of assembling well structures, consisting in setting a casingand then separating the casing, preliininarily supporting a pit in an opening in theearth above the lower section of the casing, then yieldingly supporting the pit yand removing the preliminary supports and finally loweringthe yieldingly supported pit, and joining the pit and lower casing section.

4. The herein described method of asseinbling well structures consisting in setting -a well casing, and then separating the cas- `ing, a1id removing a portion thereof from l the well, then lowering a pit vand supporting it over the remaining portion of the well casing, then alining the pit and casing, by lowering a pipe which projects into both pit and casing, then lowering the pit and joining same to the casing.

bottom of the pit below the latter. Inthis 2. The herein described 'method of assem- 5. The herein described method of assemi In testimony whereof I aix' my signature bling well structures consisting in setting u in presence-of two witnesses. a we easing separating and removing a portion of the easing, lowering a yieldingly FRED I' GETTY' 3 supported pit'and alining it with the .weil Witnesses:

easing, and then joining the casing and pit, J. P. HABER, by screwing them together. C. A. FLEMING 

